Post by Dante on Jun 19, 2012 16:49:00 GMT -5
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EXECUTIONER'S APPRENTICE
workout with
TOBIAS LANCASTER
for the
TROPICAL RAINFOREST INVITATIONAL[/color]
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There were two invitational races each year. One turf, one dirt. It was the battle of the giants, really. And this year, PHS had gotten one invite. Just one. And Tobias knew, as soon as Mr. Muse told him and Skylark, that he was going to be riding in it. Executioner's Apprentice was taking up the invite, and he was going to run in the race. The race itself was going to be a hodgepodge of the best turf runners, all thrown into one race. Betters would be thrown strange odds, and for the jockeys, trainers, and horses, the pressure was on before the stars then moved to take on the Breeder's Cup, in which they may face each other again, or not at all.
"The field is probably going to be large." Skylark held onto Executioner's Apprentice as Tobias hopped on from a fence. "But don't let that daunt you. Just find a place, third or fourth, and push. Push them hard. He runs well at ten, and get them going faster. They'll crumple, but beware the closers." Tobias nodded. Perhaps his most dangerous adversary was Wildly Natural. The colt and the mare had faced off several times - and both had won and lost against the other. It would be a toss up, Tobias was sure, of how that would pan out. But Wildly Natural was a closer. In a bigger field, she'd have much more ground to cover than App to get and keep the lead. If App pushed the field fast enough, there was no way the mare would be able to keep up. It all boiled down to strategy.
For best preparation, they started in the gate. The dapple grey colt with the red shoulder took it well. The gate didn't phase him much, which Tobias counted as a blessing. He started fast and didn't make a fuss in the gate, which allowed Tobias just enough time to size up the rest of the field, and where to go before the gates opened and App was unleashed. The clang on the gates was the cue to run, and off they did, moving nearer the inside but not too near. They'd let the frontrunners in close, where they liked to run, but that was all that Tobias planned on giving them. He was planning on having App act and pressure them on from the getgo. The sooner they did this, the easier it would be later on in the race to overtake and win.
App's ears were forward in concentration as they moved along the track, his blood-colored shoulder a blur beneath him. Power and speed were combined as he tore up the turf. Tobias could practically feel his lungs, feel his heart pumping -he knew App inside and out. He could feel the rush of the wind on his face and App's black mane whipping in the wind. This is what they lived for. This is what they ran for. The rush of going in for the kill; figuratively, of course.
They eased their pushing around the corner, though not their speed, and then went right back to it doubly as hard as soon as they got out of it. The curve came at six furlongs, which meant there were to be four more furlongs, which meant in a furlong, they would make their move. He kept App just left of center, right at the shoulder of where the frontrunners would be, then let him have his head. Tobias added the stick, and urged him on. Faster! Faster! It was almost as though the colt could heard the rider's thoughts, and he accelerated, smoothly running for the finish line.
Once they crossed said line, Tobias let out a whoop of excitement. "I like that run!" He called to Skylark, who was leaning on the rail. "What did you think."
"It was good." Skylark said with a nod. "We'll see how it goes. Trust me, the invitationals are always hectic. Plan well, and run hard, that's your best bet."-----------------------
WORKOUT STATS
words| 674
workout surface| Turf
distance| 10 furlongs
horse| Executioner's Apprentice
jockey| Tobias Lancaster
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